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Appalachian beardtongue, eastern gray beardtongue

Cusick's beardtongue, Cusick's penstemon

Habit Herbs. Herbs or subshrubs.
Stems

ascending to erect, (20–)35–80 cm, retrorsely hairy and glandular-pubescent, sometimes only glandular-pubescent distally, not glaucous.

ascending to erect, 15–45 cm, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous.

Leaves

basal and cauline, not leathery, sparsely to densely pubescent, rarely glabrate;

basal and proximal cauline 28–170 × 11–42 mm, blade orbiculate to obovate or elliptic, base tapered, margins irregularly crenate to irregularly serrate, apex rounded to obtuse;

cauline 3–7 pairs, sessile or proximals short-petiolate, 28–170 × 9–40 mm, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate, proximals usually ± lyrate, base clasping or tapered, margins crenate to serrate, apex obtuse to acute.

cauline, opposite or subalternate, retrorsely hairy, hairs pointed, not glaucous;

cauline 4–8 pairs, short-petiolate or sessile, 16–70 × 1–8(–14) mm, blade lanceolate to linear, base tapered, margins entire, apex obtuse to acute.

Thyrses

interrupted, conic, (5–)8–23 cm, axis ± pubescent and glandular-pubescent, verticillasters 3–6, cymes 5–13-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate, 8–60 × 2–20 mm, margins entire or ± crenate to serrate;

peduncles and pedicels spreading to ascending, ± pubescent and glandular-pubescent.

interrupted, cylindric, 4–15 cm, axis puberulent or retrorsely hairy, verticillasters 3–10, cymes 1–5(–7)-flowered, 2 per node;

proximal bracts lanceolate to linear, 7–50 × 1–6 mm;

peduncles and pedicels ascending to erect, puberulent or retrorsely hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes lanceolate, 3.2–6(–7) × 1.4–1.8(–2) mm, sparsely to moderately glandular-pubescent;

corolla lavender to purple, with lavender or purple nectar guides, ventricose, 20–30 mm, glandular-pubescent externally, ± white-pubescent internally abaxially, tube (4–)5–8(–10) mm, throat abruptly inflated, 5–8 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included or longer pair reaching orifice, pollen sacs opposite, navicular, 1–1.5 mm, dehiscing completely, connective splitting, sides glabrous, rarely sparsely pubescent, hairs white, to 0.2 mm, sutures papillate;

staminode (11–)14–22 mm, exserted, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., tip straight to slightly recurved, distal (7–)10–12 mm ± pubescent, hairs yellowish, to 2 mm;

style 13–15 mm.

calyx lobes ovate, 3–5.5 × 1.4–2.3 mm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent;

corolla blue to violet or purple, without nectar guides, ampliate, 16–21 mm, glabrous externally, glabrous internally, tube 4–5 mm, throat gradually inflated, 5–6 mm diam., slightly 2-ridged abaxially;

stamens included, filaments glabrous, pollen sacs parallel, 1–1.5(–1.8) mm, distal 1/2–2/3 indehiscent, sides hispidulous, hairs white, to 0.1 mm near filament attachment, sutures denticulate, teeth to 0.1 mm;

staminode 10–12 mm, reaching orifice or barely exserted, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., glabrous;

style 11–13 mm.

Capsules

5–7 × 4–5 mm, glabrous.

6–7 × 4.5–6 mm.

2n

= 16.

= 16.

Penstemon canescens

Penstemon cusickii

Phenology Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Sep). Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Woodlands, thickets, cliffs, barrens. Rocky, often basaltic, sagebrush shrublands.
Elevation 200–1600 m. (700–5200 ft.) 600–1500 m. (2000–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; IL; IN; KY; MD; NC; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

F. W. Pennell (1935) acknowledged that Penstemon canescens varies greatly in leaf size, flower size, and vestiture. He distinguished subsp. brittoniorum by its glabrate leaves with sharply serrate margins and dark purple corollas. Plants with those features are encountered mostly in the southern part of the range of the species, although they are essentially sympatric with subsp. canescens and sometimes in mixed populations with plants with the features of subsp. canescens.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Penstemon cusickii is known from west-central and southwestern Idaho (Ada, Blaine, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, and Washington counties) and eastern Oregon (Baker, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Union, and Wheeler counties).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 197. FNA vol. 17, p. 232.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Penstemon Plantaginaceae > Penstemon > subg. Penstemon > sect. Saccanthera
Sibling taxa
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. acuminatus, P. alamosensis, P. albertinus, P. albidus, P. albomarginatus, P. ambiguus, P. ammophilus, P. anguineus, P. angustifolius, P. arenarius, P. arenicola, P. aridus, P. arkansanus, P. attenuatus, P. atwoodii, P. auriberbis, P. australis, P. azureus, P. baccharifolius, P. barbatus, P. barnebyi, P. barrettiae, P. bicolor, P. bleaklyi, P. bracteatus, P. breviculus, P. brevisepalus, P. buckleyi, P. caesius, P. caespitosus, P. calcareus, P. californicus, P. calycosus, P. cardinalis, P. cardwellii, P. carnosus, P. caryi, P. centranthifolius, P. cinicola, P. clevelandii, P. clutei, P. cobaea, P. comarrhenus, P. compactus, P. concinnus, P. confertus, P. confusus, P. crandallii, P. cusickii, P. cyananthus, P. cyaneus, P. cyanocaulis, P. cyathophorus, P. dasyphyllus, P. davidsonii, P. deamii, P. deaveri, P. debilis, P. degeneri, P. deustus, P. digitalis, P. diphyllus, P. discolor, P. dissectus, P. distans, P. dolius, P. duchesnensis, P. eatonii, P. elegantulus, P. ellipticus, P. eriantherus, P. euglaucus, P. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. flavescens, P. floribundus, P. floridus, P. flowersii, P. franklinii, P. fremontii, P. fruticiformis, P. fruticosus, P. gairdneri, P. gibbensii, P. glaber, P. glandulosus, P. glaucinus, P. globosus, P. goodrichii, P. gormanii, P. gracilentus, P. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. grandiflorus, P. griffinii, P. grinnellii, P. guadalupensis, P. hallii, P. harbourii, P. harringtonii, P. havardii, P. haydenii, P. heterodoxus, P. heterophyllus, P. hirsutus, P. humilis, P. idahoensis, P. immanifestus, P. incertus, P. inflatus, P. jamesii, P. janishiae, P. kingii, P. kralii, P. labrosus, P. laetus, P. laevigatus, P. laevis, P. lanceolatus, P. laricifolius, P. laxiflorus, P. laxus, P. leiophyllus, P. lemhiensis, P. lentus, P. leonardii, P. linarioides, P. longiflorus, P. lyallii, P. marcusii, P. mensarum, P. metcalfei, P. miser, P. moffatii, P. monoensis, P. montanus, P. moriahensis, P. mucronatus, P. multiflorus, P. murrayanus, P. nanus, P. navajoa, P. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, P. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, P. ophianthus, P. osterhoutii, P. ovatus, P. pachyphyllus, P. pahutensis, P. pallidus, P. palmeri, P. papillatus, P. parryi, P. parvulus, P. parvus, P. patens, P. payettensis, P. paysoniorum, P. peckii, P. penlandii, P. pennellianus, P. perpulcher, P. personatus, P. petiolatus, P. pinifolius, P. pinorum, P. platyphyllus, P. pratensis, P. procerus, P. pruinosus, P. pseudoputus, P. pseudospectabilis, P. pudicus, P. pumilus, P. purpusii, P. putus, P. radicosus, P. rattanii, P. retrorsus, P. rhizomatosus, P. richardsonii, P. roezlii, P. rostriflorus, P. rubicundus, P. rupicola, P. rydbergii, P. saxosorum, P. scapoides, P. scariosus, P. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, P. sepalulus, P. serrulatus, P. smallii, P. spatulatus, P. speciosus, P. spectabilis, P. stenophyllus, P. stephensii, P. strictiformis, P. strictus, P. subglaber, P. subserratus, P. subulatus, P. sudans, P. superbus, P. tenuiflorus, P. tenuis, P. teucrioides, P. thompsoniae, P. thurberi, P. tidestromii, P. tiehmii, P. tracyi, P. triflorus, P. triphyllus, P. tubaeflorus, P. uintahensis, P. utahensis, P. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
P. abietinus, P. absarokensis, P. acaulis, P. acuminatus, P. alamosensis, P. albertinus, P. albidus, P. albomarginatus, P. ambiguus, P. ammophilus, P. anguineus, P. angustifolius, P. arenarius, P. arenicola, P. aridus, P. arkansanus, P. attenuatus, P. atwoodii, P. auriberbis, P. australis, P. azureus, P. baccharifolius, P. barbatus, P. barnebyi, P. barrettiae, P. bicolor, P. bleaklyi, P. bracteatus, P. breviculus, P. brevisepalus, P. buckleyi, P. caesius, P. caespitosus, P. calcareus, P. californicus, P. calycosus, P. canescens, P. cardinalis, P. cardwellii, P. carnosus, P. caryi, P. centranthifolius, P. cinicola, P. clevelandii, P. clutei, P. cobaea, P. comarrhenus, P. compactus, P. concinnus, P. confertus, P. confusus, P. crandallii, P. cyananthus, P. cyaneus, P. cyanocaulis, P. cyathophorus, P. dasyphyllus, P. davidsonii, P. deamii, P. deaveri, P. debilis, P. degeneri, P. deustus, P. digitalis, P. diphyllus, P. discolor, P. dissectus, P. distans, P. dolius, P. duchesnensis, P. eatonii, P. elegantulus, P. ellipticus, P. eriantherus, P. euglaucus, P. fendleri, P. filiformis, P. flavescens, P. floribundus, P. floridus, P. flowersii, P. franklinii, P. fremontii, P. fruticiformis, P. fruticosus, P. gairdneri, P. gibbensii, P. glaber, P. glandulosus, P. glaucinus, P. globosus, P. goodrichii, P. gormanii, P. gracilentus, P. gracilis, P. grahamii, P. grandiflorus, P. griffinii, P. grinnellii, P. guadalupensis, P. hallii, P. harbourii, P. harringtonii, P. havardii, P. haydenii, P. heterodoxus, P. heterophyllus, P. hirsutus, P. humilis, P. idahoensis, P. immanifestus, P. incertus, P. inflatus, P. jamesii, P. janishiae, P. kingii, P. kralii, P. labrosus, P. laetus, P. laevigatus, P. laevis, P. lanceolatus, P. laricifolius, P. laxiflorus, P. laxus, P. leiophyllus, P. lemhiensis, P. lentus, P. leonardii, P. linarioides, P. longiflorus, P. lyallii, P. marcusii, P. mensarum, P. metcalfei, P. miser, P. moffatii, P. monoensis, P. montanus, P. moriahensis, P. mucronatus, P. multiflorus, P. murrayanus, P. nanus, P. navajoa, P. neomexicanus, P. neotericus, P. newberryi, P. nitidus, P. nudiflorus, P. oklahomensis, P. oliganthus, P. ophianthus, P. osterhoutii, P. ovatus, P. pachyphyllus, P. pahutensis, P. pallidus, P. palmeri, P. papillatus, P. parryi, P. parvulus, P. parvus, P. patens, P. payettensis, P. paysoniorum, P. peckii, P. penlandii, P. pennellianus, P. perpulcher, P. personatus, P. petiolatus, P. pinifolius, P. pinorum, P. platyphyllus, P. pratensis, P. procerus, P. pruinosus, P. pseudoputus, P. pseudospectabilis, P. pudicus, P. pumilus, P. purpusii, P. putus, P. radicosus, P. rattanii, P. retrorsus, P. rhizomatosus, P. richardsonii, P. roezlii, P. rostriflorus, P. rubicundus, P. rupicola, P. rydbergii, P. saxosorum, P. scapoides, P. scariosus, P. secundiflorus, P. seorsus, P. sepalulus, P. serrulatus, P. smallii, P. spatulatus, P. speciosus, P. spectabilis, P. stenophyllus, P. stephensii, P. strictiformis, P. strictus, P. subglaber, P. subserratus, P. subulatus, P. sudans, P. superbus, P. tenuiflorus, P. tenuis, P. teucrioides, P. thompsoniae, P. thurberi, P. tidestromii, P. tiehmii, P. tracyi, P. triflorus, P. triphyllus, P. tubaeflorus, P. uintahensis, P. utahensis, P. venustus, P. virens, P. virgatus, P. wardii, P. washingtonensis, P. watsonii, P. whippleanus, P. wilcoxii, P. wrightii, P. xylus, P. yampaënsis
Synonyms P. laevigatus var. canescens, P. brittoniorum, P. canescens subsp. brittoniorum
Name authority (Britton) Britton: Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 291. (1894) — (as Pentstemon) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 16: 106. (1880) — (as Pentstemon)
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